Chancellor Vinawyll was not typically known for his anger. The head of the Whitetail government liked to be seen as calm and collected, even in the worst of times, so as to serve as a pillar of strength and resolve for his people. The military, the senate, the very citizens of his nation relied on him. At the moment, none of that mattered.

"Ancestors damn these incompetent fools! I hope and pray with every ounce of my body that they shall know no rest in the afterlife!"

A table full of fruit and wine was upended and thrown across the room, crashing into the wall under a magical torch. In the center of the Chancellor's chambers a lone stag stood at prompt attention, not daring to look his superior in the eyes. Years of abuse at the hooves of his own officers had given the commander apt practice in the art of maintaining appearances. On the inside, however, he sweated and cursed and worried like any other.

Vinawyll approached and shoved a hoof against Brother-Commander Tarsalonis' armored chest. "I gave you a single order, Brother-Commander! A single command! How could you possibly fail so miserably as to cost us not only the target, but thirty of our finest soldiers?!"

"We underestimated the Equestrians, Honorable Chancellor, sir."

"Oh. Oh, I see. You underestimated them. In that case, I suppose all is forgiven. After all, it's not as if we've been 'underestimating' the Equestrians for the last six fucking months! They are on our doorstep and still this is the excuse I'm given?!" Tarsalonis remained silent. Nothing he could have said would have possibly assuaged Vinawyll's rage. "I was assured that a force of thirty bucks and a single doe was all that would be required to carry out the mission! And who was it, Brother-Commander, who assured me?"

"I did, sir."

"You did! And what do we have to show for it in return? Five dead Praetorians, a captured Sister-Magi, a wagon full of gold and jewels lost to Equestria's coffers, and a pile of our own dead! Have you any idea how expensive it is to hire a caravan to smuggle out a creature twice the size of an Equestrian, only to have it find the agreed-upon location full of bodies?! That is coin we'll never see again!"

"Honorable Chancellor, our spies report that the human was stronger than we'd anticipated. Magical afterglow from the battle shows a power far beyond our previous assumptions, neither deer nor pony in origin. Clearly this...human...is resistant to our magics."

"Well then, we picked a great fucking time to find out, didn't we?"

Vinawyll paced back and forth beside a large map. Equestrian units hadn't moved for some time, but it was not for lack of strength. Their forces only continued to grow, even as scroll after scroll arrived from Princess Celestia urging him to speak with her. Were he the only deer in a position of power in Whitetail, he likely would have taken the offer. But doing so now was tantamount to suicide; the senate thought him a bumbling idiot, and the people of Whitetail still believed the war to be winnable. No, surrender would lead only to a dagger in his throat in the middle of the night.

"You are lucky, Brother-Commander, that I am a merciful leader. I ought to have you executed for incompetence or thrown into Cervidae's combat rings for such repeated failures, but we are taxed far too seriously to throw yet another senior officer away. Leave me, and return to your post. Do not think to try me again."

Relieved, Tarsalonis bowed deeply and saluted. "Yes, Honorable Chancellor, sir. Thank you, sir."

Chancellor Vinawyll did not allow himself to be calm until he was alone. Exhausted, frustrated, and frail from barely eating, he sat against the railing of his private balcony and wondered what there was left for Whitetail now. Capturing the human -- Tercio, he remembered -- was to be his one, last act of defiance to Celestia's inevitable victory. The human enjoyed a place of power in their military, and had become somewhat of a hero after defeating the assassin during the attack on Canterlot in the early days of the war. Rumor had it he was romantically involved with someone of import, but Vinawyll supposed he would never know for sure now -- without the human in his custody he held no power over any potential negotiations. He could feel his nation shrinking around him, slowly strangling the life out the capital, and he feared there would be no Whitetail left after the war claimed him and everyone he knew.

Dejected, he opened his chamber doors. A frightened orderly stood at the end of the hallway, plainly terrified after hearing the Chancellor unleash his frustrations on the officer. Vinwyall wouldn't have been surprised to learn half of Whitetail had heard him.

"You, boy. Come here."

The young buck approached cautiously, quill and parchment floating beside him. "Y-Yes, Honorable Chancellor? How...how may I serve you?"

"Brother-General Corvalix is scheduled to arrive no more than one week from today. Do you know of him?"

The orderly hesitated as he struggled to recall the name, then nodded. "Of course, Honorable Chancellor..."

"Good. Until he arrives I am assigning you to the city's gates, where you will give Corvalix a message. This message is very important, and it cannot be written down. Can I count on you to deliver it verbatim?"

"Yes, Honorable Chancellor. What do you wish me to say?"

Vinawyll could hardly believe himself as the thought entered his mind. From this moment on, he knew, history would judge him in cruel words, and the legacy of his once proud family would be dashed to ribbons. To carry through with such a thing would mark him as a coward before the damnable senate, but if it meant saving Whitetail...

"Tell him...tell him I accept his offer, and he is to meet with me at his earliest convenience. He will know what it means."

The orderly repeated his words back to him and saluted, and Vinawyll was once more left to his own thoughts. A cold gale brought with it thick, black storm clouds as he placed his head in his hooves, but not even it could match the chill that gripped his spine. There would be no turning back now.

"Looks like you're healing well enough, but you must make absolutely sure to apply this medicinal salve thrice daily. You're going to be left with some scarring but it shouldn't be too bad if you follow instructions." The apothecary produced a decanter of thick, red liquid and passed it to Tercio, who stuffed it into his bag. Spending the night under nearly constant supervision by the medicae staff had been tiring and sometimes painful, thanks to the wounds he'd received in combat. At least he wouldn't have to worry about it for too much longer. "Oh, and try to avoid any unnecessary strain on your shoulder, or you may start bleeding again."

Tercio thanked the old stallion and assured him he would take care of himself while he was away.

"Princess Celestia wishes to speak with you in private. I need to stock up on a few things so I'll leave you to it. If the area around your shoulder or thigh turns red and swollen, please consult with myself or one of the other apothecaries immediately. Honor to the Princess."

Tercio returned his salute. "Honor to the Princess."

The smell of cleansing potions and healing salves stung his nose whenever he breathed in deeply, and in the distance he could hear other Praetorians quietly moaning in pain. Some of them had suffered very serious wounds and, though their survival was very likely, the process of healing would not be quick or easy. He felt sympathy for them and wished them the best, but he couldn't wait to get out of the medicae building as quickly as possible.

He did not have to wait long for his visitor to arrive. Celestia's approach could be heard from some distance away; her soothing voice sounded through the marble halls as she briefly stopped to console the wounded, and the unmistakable clack of her golden shoes on the tiles grew ever closer.

Finally she appeared in the doorway, her mane flowing behind her and glittering in the early morning sunlight. She looked every bit as regal as he remembered, and when she spoke it was more comforting than any apothecary could have ever hoped to be.

"Hello, Tercio," she said with a light smile.

"Princess," Tercio spoke in return, being careful to sound formal and respectful. "To what do I owe the honor?"

"I thought I would check in on you. Would you mind speaking in private?" A sly grin tugged at her cheeks.

"Not at all. Please, come in."

Celestia briefly looked around, then closed the door quietly. As soon as she did Tercio stood up from his cot and stepped toward her, throwing an arm around her neck and pulling her into him with the other. She gave a quiet, surprised yelp and giggled as she returned the favor, meeting him in a loving kiss that lingered for what felt like far too short of a time.

"I'm so glad you're alive," she whispered, caressing him with a gentle touch. "When the caravan arrived and they escorted you to the medicae building, I feared..." She couldn't bring herself to finish the thought.

"It's alright," he reassured her, pressing his forehead against hers. "I promise you I am in no further danger." Celestia gasped as she noticed the bandages wrapped tightly around his shoulder and arm, dyed pink from blood. "It's not as bad as it looks. The whitetail got a few pieces of me," he said as he twisted to show similar wrappings on his thigh, "but they are merely superficial. I will be fine, thanks to some quick thinking by my brothers and the work of the apothecaries."

Celestia embraced him once more and managed a smile despite the tears of relief in her eyes. "You worry me so. Do you know that?"

"It comes with the territory, I'm afraid. If you are looking for 'safe' then I believe a Praetorian might not be the best choice for your romantic interests."

"And yet, here you are," she answered.

"Here I am. It will take more than a few murderous deer to take me away from you, I can promise you that." Standing there with her, he decided she had never looked more beautiful. He had been exceptionally lucky to have returned at all, and he knew it would be best to not reveal how close he had come to being dragged away -- or what had happened to prevent it. He'd been so close to never feeling the warmth of her touch or the thrill of her kiss, and his body ached for her at the thought of it.

She was plainly exhausted, even though she hid it well. No doubt she had had a sleepless night, be it from worry for him or the myriad other problems facing Equestria. He wanted to simply be with her and comfort her for as long as she needed, but he knew he couldn't.

"I love you," she said quietly.

"I love you too, Celestia," he said as he brushed her mane from her face. She smiled, as bright as the sun itself, and sat down beside him on the cot. "How do the others fare? Have we lost any more?"

"Thankfully not, the healers have done a remarkable job. Your friends seem in high spirits despite their injuries. I only wish we could have saved everyone."

"An unfortunate reality of this war," he said. "They were good stallions, all of them. It's hard to believe they're gone, and to such treachery." He remembered the doe who had tried to take him away, and how he had very nearly killed her before fighting back against the darkness inside. "The whitetail captive, is she...?"

"She is alive," Celestia said. "Alinalyys is her name. She has proven to be surprisingly open in her sharing of knowledge, but unfortunately it appears she doesn't know much of value. So far we have only been able to gather that she and the others were sent to...to take you away." Her voice faltered as she spoke of such a thing. She knew about it after all. "I do not know why the leaders of the Whitetail armies have taken such an interest in you."

"Neither do I, but so long as I draw breath they will not find me easy prey. Our captive can attest to that." He remembered the wagon, full of valuables. "Have we sorted through the goods stolen from Equestrian homes?"

"For the most part, yes. Obviously there are some issues with ponies claiming to have lost more than they had in the first place, and more than one fight has broken out over grudges with neighbors or family members, but I believe we'll have everything sorted before long."

"Was there anything of particular note? The whitetail committed too strong of a force to simply want to take me away. If that was their only goal they could have waited until I was more vulnerable."

Celestia thought of the twin pendants now kept in a box far from anything else, away from any place of import. Their true purpose remained unknown until she could devote the time to figuring them out. For a moment she considered telling Tercio about them, but thought it better to keep such a thing to herself for the time being. He had been through so much, and with his leave coming up so quickly she did not want to burden him with anymore worries than he might already have.

"Some missives to family and friends, undelivered scrolls, bits and baubles the whitetail thought valuable for whatever reason. Nothing truly unexpected."

"Hmm. Perhaps it was nothing more than convenience that drove them to attack both myself and the wagon at the same time. Clearly they underestimated us." Tercio was quiet for a time as he remembered the blood and confusion of battle, the fear and anger of it all. He wished he could forget. "Princess, do you know if I am still to return to Summervale today?"

"You are," she nodded. "The apothecary tells me you're fine for light travel. To that end, you and several others will be officially relieved of duty for the next ten days by Stonewall, just after your afternoon meal."

Tercio sighed in relief. "Thank you. Some time home will do a great deal of good. I can only imagine Mother's reaction to my injuries, however..." He touched a hand to Celestia's chest and said, "you should come with me."

The Princess smiled sympathetically. "I wish that I could, my love, but you know as well as I do that it's not likely."

"Why not? Surely the ruler of Equestria is entitled to a few days of respite. I doubt the palace would come crashing to the ground in your absence."

She laughed. "I am sure everything would be fine, but I am far too busy to consider time away from my duties. If we were at peace I would gladly join you, but since we're not..."

Tercio had known it was unlikely, but it was still disappointing. "I was looking forward to seeing Mother's reaction when I introduced you as the mare I'd fallen for," he said with a thin smile.

"Oh dear, I hadn't even considered that," Celestia said, giggling at the thought. "That may be an awkward moment. We'll travel together soon, once this war is over. I promise."

"I hope so." Sunlight streamed in through the open window as it peeked over the top of the mountains. It wouldn't be long before he was on his way home. "Will you stay with me, Celestia? Even if it's only for a short time? I may not see you again before I return, and I would like to remember your touch when I am away."

Celestia laid down beside him, letting him rest his head against her shoulder, and she gently kissed his forehead. "Of course I will. Enjoy your time back home, and cherish the moments you spend with your family. I will still be here when you return." Even then, she could not escape her thoughts of Whitetail, of Luna, of the countless ponies who looked to her for guidance in their time of need, and she wished her life was simple again.

Under ideal conditions, the trip from Canterlot to Summervale could be completed in the better part of a day. With snowfall up to his ankles, however, Tercio found the roads back to his childhood home less than ideal. Winter had arrived in Equestria, and it had made its presence known with a thick blanket of snow that now covered half of the lands from the western border to the Sea of Lights.

Here and there he managed to catch a ride on a wagon heading his direction, but those were few and far between. Several miles still awaited him as night began to fall. He cursed the weather for prolonging his journey, continuing until he found a small inn near a well-traveled fork in the road. It was a simple building, earthen in color with a thatched roof, and a weather-worn sign post announced its name -- The Sanaliis -- to weary travelers. Deciding it was the best he was going to find, Tercio ducked into the doorway and removed his heavy winter coat.

The inn was mostly empty, with a few patrons scattered about, minding their own business and sipping at drinks in wooden mugs. A fireplace crackled on the far wall, a cooking pot hanging over the flames. No one seemed to pay him any particular attention, giving only cursory glances. Glad to be out of the cold, he sat on a large cushion next to a low bar decorated with carved figurines, removing his gear bag with a sigh of relief and setting it beside him.

"Welcome, andwyyn," a heavily accented voice said as he heard a door swing open. "You are perhaps looking for a place to rest, yes?"

"Unfortunately," Tercio answered, quickly checking through his bag to make sure nothing had fallen out during the long walk. "Damned roads are a mess. Would prefer to be out of the cold before--"

The tall, lithe figure of a deer stood over him, dark brown in color with off-white spots and tall antlers decorated with short, golden chains and dangling emerald trinkets. Instinctively Tercio made to grab for his dagger, but stopped himself before he did anything foolish.

"Before the harsh night comes?" the deer finished for him, giving no indication that he'd noticed.

"Yes," he said cautiously. "I will likely need a bed for the night."

"Fala'niin! You are fortunate, then, that I have rooms available. Only twelve bits per night. But first, we must relieve you of the tiresome road." The deer floated the lid from the cooking pot, scooping a good-sized bowl of a hearty-looking stew and setting it down at the low bar. A hunk of bread and a mug of steaming liquid joined it, and he offered it to Tercio with a curt nod. "For you, andwyyn, this food is free."

"Thank you..." Tercio took the bowl and stirred it with a wooden spoon. It looked like any ordinary stew, full of carrots, celery, onion, and chunks of potato, and a few other patrons were clearly just fine as they ate, but it could still be a trick. The whitetail had a price on his head, after all, and what better way to drag him away than to slip something into his food or drink? Still, his stomach protested loudly as he realized he hadn't eaten since much earlier in the day, and he took a spoonful into his mouth. It wasn't food made for royalty, but it was filling and warmed his insides, and that was good enough.

"It is to your liking?"

Tercio washed it down with a sip of oddly-scented, yet familiar liquid. It tasted of cinnamon, anise and fruit, with an alcoholic bite at the back of his throat. "This is very good, thank you," he finally said, then presented a closed fist to the deer. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I'm Tercio."

"Do not worry, Sir Tercio," the deer said as he returned the favor with a bump of his hoof, "you are not the first to be worried about a whitetail in Equestria in these times. My name is Glindraanis, and it is a pleasure to have you in my establishment."

Tercio frowned at his own behavior. Perhaps he'd been too obvious, and harsh, in his judgment after all. Considering several whitetail had tried to kill or capture him just a few days ago, he supposed he had the right to be nervous. "You own this place?" he asked.

"I do indeed. Fortunate that it is here, or you would be traveling in the snow for some time, yes? Do not worry about the meal, soldiers always eat free here. It is my way of repaying you for what you do. Without you and your comrades, after all, I would be yet another refugee fleeing the invasion." Glindraanis pointed to the gear bag at Tercio's side. "You are a...Praetorian? That is the word?"

"It is, and I am. You have a sharp eye, my friend." He dug into his bowl once more as he talked with the surprisingly friendly whitetail. A few more sips and he finally placed the flavor of the drink -- opal berry, but made into some sort of mulled wine.

The deer smiled. "It does not take a sharp eye to find a purple cloak in a brown bag. I have heard tale of the Praetorians fighting during the attack on Canterlot. You are far braver than I, andwyyn."

"Andwyyn," Tercio repeated to himself. "You keep calling me that. What does it mean?"

"It is Whitetail for...I suppose 'friend' would be closest, though it is not a direct match. Less than family, more than acquaintance, perhaps."

"Oh," Tercio said in surprise, "well, thank you. That's kind of you."

"Anyone who steps into my home is andwyyn, be they pony or deer. We are all Equestrians, yes?"

"That we are. I must say, I've never seen a whitetail-run inn during my travels; I imagine things must be...difficult these days."

Glindraanis shrugged, probably having heard the same issue time and again. "I have lived in Equestria most of my life. I was born in Whitetail, yes, but we moved here when I was very young. This place, it is my home, and though I sometimes receive baseless threats I have never truly felt in danger from other Equestrians." He frowned and said, "such a thing cannot be said for ponies living in Whitetail, not since the start of the war. I have heard rumors of deportations, or even executions, especially with Equestria poised to win the war in short order. Dra'liithe, but it makes me ashamed to be a whitetail."

"Let us hope this damned conflict ends soon then. I've shed enough blood, both my own and my enemy's, for one life time."

Glindraanis took the bowl and mug as soon as Tercio was finished, then swept a small collection of coins into a drawer as payment for the room. "You are far from home still?"

"Not too far, fortunately. Summervale."

"Ah, I know of this place. Quite beautiful. Please, if you ever happen to pass by the Sanaliis in your travels again, do not hesitate to come in. It is the least I can do."

"Thank you," Tercio said, bowing his head with a hand over his chest. "I truly appreciate the hospitality." He gathered his bag and slung it over his shoulder. A warm bed sounded increasingly welcome with his stomach full and his muscles aching. "Oh, I forgot to ask: what does sanaliis mean?"

The deer smirked at the question. "It means 'outcast'. It is the word the whitetail use for ones such as myself. I am an outcast for choosing to live in Equestria. It is meant to be an insult, but, as you can see by the sign, I wear it with pride. I will not be associated with those who would judge me so. When this war is over, there will be a great many more sanaliisi, I think."

If there was a Whitetail left at all.

"Have a restful night, andwyyn, and tell your brothers they are always welcome here."